It is the duty of the judge of the superior court of any county in this state to enter at the proper land office of the United States such quantity of land as the inhabitants of any unincorporated town, situate upon lands the legal and equitable title to which is in the United States of America, or situate upon public lands of the United States within the county wherein such superior court is held, may be entitled to claim in the aggregate, according to their population, in the manner required by the laws of the United States, and valid regulations prescribed by the secretary of the interior of the United States, and to make and sign all necessary declaratory statements, certificates and affidavits, or other instruments requisite to carry into effect the intentions of this chapter, and the intention of the act of congress of the United States entitled “An act for the relief of the inhabitants of cities and towns upon the public lands,” approved March 2, 1867, and all acts of congress amendatory thereof and supplemental thereto, and to file in the proper United States land office a proper application in writing, describing the tracts of land on which such unincorporated town is situated, and all lands entitled to be embraced in such government townsite entry, and make proof and payment for such tracts of land in the manner required by law.